Behold… we are making some serious comfort food here. This vegan and gluten-free pumpkin pasta bake/lasagna is the perfect dish for Autumn. As temperatures get a little cooler and the air becomes dry, this dish will nourish and warm your belly with aromatic spices, protein packed cashew cheese and red lentils, sandwiched between layers of sweet, sweet pumpkin. If you love creamy, dreamy pastas that seem way more indulgent than they actually are then this deliciously healthy pasta dish is for you… enjoy!!
Ingredients
3 Tbsp coconut oil
3/4 tsp each spice:
Mustard seeds
Fennel seeds
Cumin powder
Coriander powder
Ginger powder
Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Asafoetida/Hing powder
Black pepper – ground
2 sprigs curry leaves & 4cm fresh grated ginger
200g/ 1 1/4 cups red lentils pre washed soaked, drained
1.5 kg pumpkin chopped
3.5 cups water
Cheese Sauce
1 can coconut cream
1 cup/100g cashew nuts – pre soaked for 3 hours, drained & rinsed
2 Tbsp miso paste
350g gluten free pasta or lasagna sheets
Method
Fry the spices in the coconut oil, add curry leaves then fresh ginger & fry a little bit longer. Add red lentils and fry for a few minutes. Add water, stir everything through, then add chopped pumpkin. Cook until lentils and pumpkin are tender. You may need to add more water as you go. Add salt to taste.
Blend pre soaked cashews, coconut cream and miso until smooth.
Layer in a large, high side roasting dish, about A4 size base. Pumpkin/lentil mix in bottom of dish first, then pasta layer, alternating layers, finishing with pumpkin/lentil mix on top. Then pour cashew cheese mix on top.
Bake in oven, 180 – 200 degrees for 1 hour or until pasta is tender and top is caramelised and delicious 🙂
Recipe by Jane Olsen